Wednesday 14 December 2011 18.36 EST
First published on Wednesday 14 December 2011 18.36 EST

Craven Cottage is the venue for Fulham's last group match in the Europa League. The Cottagers know that a victory over Odense will guarantee their passage to the knock-out stages. In fact, they need only match the result of Wisla Krakow, who host group leaders FC Twente, to go through. Shouldn't be too hard, should it?

Fulham take the lead in the 27th minute when Clint Dempsey fires home from the edge of the box after some slick one touch play. Bobby Zamora, whose rift with the manager Martin Jol has been much talked about in recent weeks, supplied the lay-off

Four minutes later, Fulham are 2-0 up ... and the second goal is even more impressive. Moussa Dembele cuts in from the right flank and threads a delightful reverse pass into the stride of Kerim Frei who slots the ball between the keeper's legs. Fulham are cruising, but Zamora doesn't seem to want to be part of it and bizarrely signals his desire to be substituted. Needless to say, Jol ignores him

In the 64th minute, more trouble stirs ... this time in the form of goal for Odense. Hans Henrik Andreasen (right) sweeps a clever low free-kick around the wall and into the near corner. It's squeaky bum time for Fulham in the closing stages (because Krakow are beating FC Twente)

Earlier this evening ... With Stoke's passage to the knock-out stage of the Europa League already confirmed and Besiktas likely to join them barring a considerable swing in goal difference, their fixture in Istanbul might have been a soft, almost friendly affair. Evidently it wasn't

Not only were the players in combative mood, the fans were too. The Besiktas supporters seemed to think of corners as target practice. In fact the missiles were so frequent that the referee Marcin Borski was forced to temporarily halt play

A draw would have guaranteed Besiktas' progression to the knock-out stages, but further goals from the substitutes Mustafa Pektemek and Edu earned them a deserved 3-1 victory. It was Stoke's first defeat in Europe this season and it meant they did not qualify as group winners. Nonetheless, both sides are through. Smiles all round then